Optimistic Howard on hand for final series

ATLANTA — Ryan Howard put on a uniform, dropped a few bunts, jogged a lap around the bases, then took some swings. The reports about his trimness seemed true, and the 248 pounds on his 6-4 frame seemed to be made of much more muscle.

By choice Howard joined the Phillies in Atlanta, mostly to see teammates he hasn’t seen the over last two months as he rehabilitated from knee surgery. It was the second straight year Howard lost half a season due to an issue with his left leg — first a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, then the knee issue that quite possibly was caused by the uneven gait through which he played in the second half of 2012.

“I just wanted to be here, end the season with the fellas,” Howard said. “I know it has been a hard year for us as an organization, for us as a team and for myself personally.

“I just wanted to be here with them, be able to ride it out and just kind of watch, cheer them on the rest of the way and hopefully end things on a good note and head into 2014 on a high.”

Much has changed since Howard finally landed on the disabled list July 6, most notably the manager. Gone was the only manager he basically had known, Charlie Manuel, and in his place is Ryne Sandberg. Howard hasn’t been able to get in contact with Manuel since the firing last month, but he made sure to make a long, thoughtful statement about what his manager meant to him and the team during the Phillies’ five straight NL East titles.

“I owe Charlie a lot,” Howard said. “He helped do a lot of good things for me in my career. … Charlie always believed in me, and I always appreciated him for that.

“I never really thought he got the credit he was due. I thought when we were winning all those divisions, at least one of those years he should have gotten Manager of the Year.”

It isn’t a stretch to say that Howard’s absences over the last two seasons were the biggest loss to the team. The Phillies are 77-63 in games Howard has started the last two seasons, and 76-105 in games he didn’t. Still, the injuries and Howard’s struggles when he has been on the field in 2012-13 — a .244 average, 25 homers, 99 RBIs, 194 strikeouts and a .752 OPS in essentially the equivalent of a full season — have prompted many to believe the 33-year-old has no shot of properly earning the $85 million due to him during the next three years.

Howard tends to steer clear of using the “us vs. them” tactic as motivation, but he admitted that the pronouncements of his demise have given him an added kick in the rear.

“Sure, I think it drives people,” Howard said in the visitors’ clubhouse at Turner Field Thursday. “I think a lot of guys say they don’t listen to it — and you try not to — but, you know, it trickles in. You become motivated, a little fired up as far as that is concerned.

“I haven’t heard a whole lot. But I’ve seen the stuff. I’ve seen stuff in the offseason when we didn’t make the playoffs. So, as far as all that is concerned, it is what it is. All you can do is go out there the next year and put your best foot forward — play for yourself, play for your teammates, your organization, your fans. Just put all that to rest by doing it on the field.”

Sandberg has maintained that a healthy Howard can be the same impact guy in the middle of the order he was during his best seasons from 2006-11, when he had six straight top 10 MVP finishes, including a win in 2006.

“I saw him hit in the cage early,” Sandberg said. “He said he’s moving around very, very well. He’s been real happy with his movements at first base and his extended range. He’s been feeling that good.

“I’ll be able to have some other conversations with him. He’s real positive. He feels really good about the upcoming offseason and the possibilities for next year.

“I thought he was still a long ways from getting into shape (last) spring training, and even in April and May because he was behind in the clock as far as being able to do the physical activities.”

Howard said his legs aren’t quite at equal strength yet, but even an amateur eye could notice that his calves today are far closer to equal muscle mass than they had been since the ruptured Achilles.

“It’s still a work in progress,” Howard said. “That’s something in the offseason I’ll continue to work on — to get my gait when walking and that stuff back to normal. That’s when I say I’m trying to get my body neutralized so all the compensation that has taken place is out and I can go back to 2006, 2009 speed.”

Even though Sandberg said that he wants to give Howard days off regardless of how healthy his legs are, that doesn’t mean the three-time All-Star will like it.

“I’ll show up at the field every day, and however Ryno does the lineup is how Ryno wants to do the lineup,” Howard said. “I’m not going to come in and ask for a day off. I’m going to show up to the field every day ready and wanting to be in the lineup.

“The preparation for me is for me to be ready to play 162-plus games next year. Then after that season is over, play 162-plus the next season. … Hopefully I’m in there 162-plus games, but if Ryno sees it fit to leave me out of the lineup a day here or a day there, so be it.”